Money may bring an unholy crop

Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing. I think it is pretty clear that when our Constitution was framed, the people who produced that document had a good idea of what they meant by free speech.

I am fairly sure their idea was that people had the right to speak their minds in the hope that someone would agree with them and help move their ideas forward, and the government could not stop them.

The view I have always had of free speech is that the ideas of the public are important food to sustain the leaders of our country. If the president or members of Congress are fed the ideas, they chew on them for a while, digest them and spread them around, hopefully where they will do the most good.

It is a simple system, a lot like farming. Ideas from people are the start of something beneficial.

That is the ideal, but it depends on the willingness of politicians to accept what is put before them. That may be a thing of the past thanks to some possibly correct, but highly damaging, rulings made recently by the Supreme Court. It is money, not ideas, that will feed the process in the future. Politicians will soon be feeding from an intellectual monoculture and spreading those limited views. What results will be whatever weed can sprout — probably not something beautiful, and likely not healthy.

Confusing? Sorry, I am the grandson of a farmer and like to create agricultural metaphors.

Put more plainly: I am very worried about our democracy. I have been worried since 2010 when the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case basically said political action committees should be treated as people and have the same right of free speech, also known as the right to shovel money into advocacy advertising. A more recent ruling by the Supreme Court significantly increases the amount of money individuals can spend on campaigns.

We all have plenty of money to spend on campaigns, right? Wrong. Many of us have not seen a pay raise in years, even as the wealthiest in this country get wealthier. We are too poor to influence elections.

More and more, money is being allowed to become the biggest factor in a political race. We have all come to understand that it costs a lot to run a political campaign, but these rulings take away the individual's ability to have an impact on government. Money talks.

Politicians may get into the business for good reasons; possibly they hope to save the world or want to improve it. Once in, it does not take long to realize they will never be able to pursue an agenda if they don't get enough money to get reelected.

Our well-meaning political leaders are now basically being held hostage by big money. The money is too much to ignore. It is the difference between getting, or not getting, elected. The money is enough to influence elections.

People can be fooled if enough money is thrown at an issue.

The people are also losing their ability to influence their leaders. It may be the dream of some people to donate $5, $10 or even $100 to a politician they like. The reality is, people are losing more and more of their voice in government. They can still write their congressman, sign petitions, picket, protest and vote, but why should a politician pay any attention to them? They don't have the money. Money talks more and more.

No one cares anymore about their small donations. Why should they? They may add up eventually to a decent amount, but $1 million or $2 million shoveled into advertising can change the game, and probably for the worse. This country is at risk of being run by an elite few.

America may be of the people, by the people and for the people, but this land no longer seems to be made for, or defined by, you and me.